Takahashi naoko biography definition

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She announced her retirement in October 2008.^[11]

Post-competitive career

The Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon was launched in 2011 with the honorary title being the Naoko Takahashi Cup. Takahashi serves as the chairwoman for the race.^[12]

Since her retirement from competitive running, Takahashi has also worked as a sportscaster,^[13] marathon commentator,^[14] served as a Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) executive, and served as an executive member of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations (JAAF).^[14]

Takahashi is related to former Morning Musume leader Hitomi Yoshizawa.

Achievements

External links

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2008-10-29 .

   Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Her family's emphasis on education helped foster the discipline that later shaped her approach to athletics.^[3][8]Following graduation, Takahashi sought structured training to advance her career, approaching renowned distance running coach Yoshio Koide at the track club of the Recruit corporation, drawn by his reputation for developing female athletes.

   She served as a guest analyst for TBS during the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, contributing to live television broadcasts and exclusive livestreams on the TVer platform over the nine-day competition starting in September.^[31]Takahashi's public engagements often blend her expertise with inspirational commentary. dead.

   K. Ken. Naoko Takahashi: Olympic marathon favourite.

   Naoko Takahashi

   Naoko Takahashi (born 6 May 1972) is a retired Japanese long-distance runner who achieved historic success in the marathon, including winning the gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney—the first Japanese woman to do so—and setting the women's world record of 2:19:46 at the 2001 Berlin Marathon, becoming the first woman to break the 2:20:00 barrier.^[1][2]Born in Gifu, Japan, Takahashi initially competed in track events such as the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters, representing her country at the 1997 World Championships in Athletics before transitioning to road running in 1998.^[3][1] She won her first marathon at the Nagoya Women's Marathon that year with a time of 2:25:48, establishing a Japanese national record, and later claimed gold at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok by a 13-minute margin.^[1] Her Olympic victory in Sydney came in a dramatic finish, where she outlasted Romania's Lidia Șimon by just eight seconds to set an Olympicrecord of 2:23:14.^[1]Throughout her career, Takahashi secured seven marathon victories, including repeat wins in Nagoya (1998 and 2000) and Berlin (2001 and 2002), as well as the 2005 Tokyo International Women's Marathon, solidifying her status as one of the greatest female distance runners of her era.^[1][2][4] She retired from competition in October 2008, leaving a legacy of pioneering performances that inspired generations of Japanese athletes.^[1]

   Early Life and Background

   Family and Upbringing

   Naoko Takahashi was born on May 6, 1972, in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, as the eldest daughter in a family of educators.

   Achievements

   Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
   Representing Japan
   January 1997	Osaka Women's Marathon	Osaka, Japan	7th	Marathon	2:31:32
   March 1997	Matsue Half Marathon	Matsue, Japan	1st	Half Marathon	1:10:35
   March 1998	Nagoya Marathon	Nagoya, Japan	1st	Marathon	2:25:48
   December 1998	Asian Games marathon	Bangkok, Thailand	1st	Marathon	2:21:47
   May 1999	Kurobe Half Marathon, Kurobe	Kurobe, Japan	1st	Half Marathon	1:10:58
   January 2000	Chiba Half Marathon	Chiba, Japan	1st	Half Marathon	1:08:55
   March 2000	Nagoya Marathon	Nagoya, Japan	1st	Marathon	2:22:19
   July 2000	Sapporo Half Marathon	Sapporo, Japan	1st	Half Marathon	1:09:10
   September 2000	Sydney Olympics Marathon	Sydney, Australia	1st	Marathon	2:23:14
   February 2001	Tokyo Ohme-Hochi 30 km	Tokyo, Japan	1st	30,000 m	1:41:57
   September 2001	Berlin Marathon	Berlin, Germany	1st	Marathon	2:19:46 WR
   September 2002	Berlin Marathon	Berlin, Germany	1st	Marathon	2:21:49
   November 2003	Tokyo Marathon	Tokyo, Japan	2nd	Marathon	2:27:21
   November 2005	Tokyo Marathon	Tokyo, Japan	1st	Marathon	2:24:39
   November 2006	Tokyo Marathon	Tokyo, Japan	3rd	Marathon	2:32:22
   March 2008	Nagoya Marathon	Nagoya, Japan	27th	Marathon	2:44:18
   March 2009	Nagoya Marathon	Nagoya, Japan	29th	Marathon	2:52:23

   References

   External links

   This page was last edited on 2 November 2024, at 13:55

   .

   Her father, Yoshiaki Takahashi, was a kindergarten principal, while her mother, Shigeko Takahashi, worked as a teacher.

   2015. Despite Koide's initial refusal, she persisted in her request, believing he could help unlock her potential, and eventually joined the team. 2014-08-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006095641/http://sportfieber.pytalhost.com/l/leichtathletik/1998/1998.13th%20Asian%20Games.htm . en.

2. Web site: Sandrock. This marked her entry into professional-level athletics, where she initially focused on half-marathon distances as a stepping stone to longer races.^[3]

   Athletic Career

   Early Competitions and Rise

   Takahashi made her marathon debut at the 1997 Osaka International Women's Marathon, where she finished in 7th place with a time of 2:31:32, marking a solid entry into the full marathon distance after competing primarily in shorter events during her university years.^[3][9] This performance came shortly after her selection to Japan's national team for the 1997 IAAF World Championships in Athletics, where she competed in the 5000 meters final and placed 13th with a time of 15:32.83, gaining valuable international experience that honed her competitive mindset from her days in the Osaka Gakuin University track club.^[10][4]Under the guidance of renowned coach Yoshio Koide, whom she began training with following her university graduation in 1995, Takahashi shifted her focus from half-marathons and track events to full marathons, emphasizing endurance through rigorous high-mileage programs that often exceeded 200 kilometers per week.^[11][12] This approach paid dividends in her second marathon at the 1998 Nagoya International Women's Marathon, where she claimed victory in 2:25:48, setting a Japanese national record and solidifying her status as one of Japan's premier marathoners.^[3][4]Building on this momentum, Takahashi earned a spot on the Japanese team for the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, where her preparation under Koide's intensive regimen culminated in a dominant gold medal performance in the marathon, finishing in 2:21:47—over 13 minutes ahead of the silver medalist—and further establishing her elite trajectory.^[13][1]

   Olympic Gold and Major Victories

   Naoko Takahashi achieved her greatest triumph at the 2000Sydney Olympics, where she won the gold medal in the women's marathon on September 24, 2000, with a time of 2:23:14, setting a new Olympic record.^[14] This victory marked the first time a Japanese woman had claimed Olympic gold in the marathon event, solidifying Takahashi's status as a global pioneer in the discipline.^[1] Despite the challenging conditions of the hilly Sydney course and warm temperatures, Takahashi employed an aggressive front-running strategy, breaking away early and maintaining a commanding lead to finish just eight seconds ahead of Romania's Lidia Șimon, who took silver in 2:23:22, while Kenya's Joyce Chepchumba earned bronze in 2:24:45.^[14][15]Her path to Sydney was paved by a dominant performance at the 2000 Nagoya International Women's Marathon on March 12, which served as Japan's Olympic selection trial, where she won in a course record time of 2:22:19.^[16] This victory, under the guidance of her coach Yoshio Koide, who emphasized bold, proactive racing tactics, confirmed her spot on the Olympic team and demonstrated her ability to handle competitive pressure from domestic rivals.^[17] The win also highlighted Takahashi's tactical evolution toward front-running, a style that would prove decisive in Sydney's undulating terrain.^[18]Prior to the Olympics, Takahashi had already established her international prowess with a standout victory at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok on December 6, where she claimed gold in the marathon with a time of 2:21:47, setting a new Asian Games record.^[13] In extreme heat and humidity exceeding 30°C, she executed a solo breakaway from the start, building an insurmountable lead of over 13 minutes by the finish, underscoring her resilience and aggressive approach influenced by Koide's coaching philosophy.^[13][1] This performance, combined with her success at the 2000 Japanese National Championships, propelled her onto the world stage as Japan's leading marathon contender heading into the Olympics.^[1]

   World Record and Peak Achievements

   Naoko Takahashi achieved her career pinnacle at the 2001 Berlin Marathon on September 30, where she set a new women's world record with a time of 2:19:46, becoming the first woman to break the 2:20 barrier and surpassing Tegla Loroupe's 1999 world record of 2:20:43 by 57 seconds.

   sportfieber.pytalhost.com .

   

   For instance, at OGU's 2024 entrance ceremony on April 4, she addressed new students in the university gymnasium, recounting her experiences as an Olympian and encouraging them to envision their future selves while tackling challenges over the next four years.^[30]Takahashi has also contributed to educational outreach through hands-on programs at OGU, such as the 2020 Team Q Running Clinic held on February 11 for junior high school students in collaboration with the Suita City Board of Education.

   Following graduation, she sought out the prominent distance running coach and began training under him.^[3] She supplemented her training regimen in Japan with altitude training in Colorado.^[4][5]

   Takahashi competed in the finals of the 1997 World Championships 5000 meter race in Athens, where she finished in 13th place.

   In March 1998,^[6] running in her second marathon, Takahashi set a Japanese women's record of 2:25:48 at the Nagoya Women's Marathon.^[3] Two months later, she won the 5000 meter race in the Osaka Japan Grand Prix with a time of 15:21.^[7]

   Later in December of that same year, Takahashi set a new Japanese women's marathon record when she won the Asian Games marathon in Bangkok with a time of 2:21:47 under very warm conditions.^[3] She finished more than 13 minutes ahead of the second place finisher.^[8]

   In March 2000, Takahashi earned a spot on Japan's Olympic women's marathon team after winning the Nagoya Women's Marathon in a time of 2:22:19.^[3] She went on to win the women's marathon at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, with an Olympic record time of 2:23:14.

   World Athletics. 2008-10-28.